Jamaican Leaders Of All Stripes Continue To Misdiagnose Lawlessness…

DEPUTY Commissioner of Police (DCP) Clifford Blake yesterday supported legislation which will, among other things, allow the police to declare special zones of operations in volatile areas, but said it is time for social agencies to step up to the plate to sustain peace through development in these communities.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Clifford Blake cited the lack of adequate support from these agencies results in gangs often regrouping and eroding whatever progress is made by the security forces.

He was making the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF’s) submission to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament which is reviewing the Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) (Special Security and Community Development Measures). The committee is hearing submissions from various interest groups, with a view to having a report ready for Parliament in just over a week.

There is a serious disconnect in the way Jamaicans see what is happening to the Island as it relates to crime.

That disconnect is obvious in the way the issue of lawlessness is quantified by the society, including the high command of the Police Department.

As along as these Interest groups see the crippling instances of horrific Murder and Terrorism as a WAR to be aided by social intervention the problem will remain. Jamaica is not at war a-la the 70’s to 80′ s.

Back then the motive for the killings was politics. The rudiments have changed, since the 80’s ,there has been a paradigm shift in the motivation behind the crime Jamaica experience today.

Much of the crime today is about personal greed which fuels murder. This continues because of acquiescence and fear. People in Jamaica kill because they know the likelihood they will ultimately be held accountable is next to nil, despite the number of arrests cited by DCP Blake. The society is not at war, it is in love with murderers and that’s the issue.